Research Associate, Biotechnology
Salary

The average Biotechnology Research Associate in the United States earns approximately $52K per year. Compensation for this group is mainly affected by the specific employer, but the particular city and years of experience are influential factors as well. Men are slightly outnumbered by their female counterparts who answered the questionnaire, who make up a slight majority at 52 percent. Most people in this profession are content with their work, and moderate levels of job satisfaction are reported. A large number report receiving medical coverage from their employers and a fair number collect dental insurance.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

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Job Description for Research Associate, Biotechnology

A research associate in biotechnology spends almost all of his or her time in a laboratory setting conducting experiments and analyzing data. This research associate (also called a “wet lab associate”) is in charge of testing potential biologic compounds' effectiveness on potential diseases. The testing requires the use of standard scientific tools such as pipettes and petri dishes to grow cultures. At the junior level, all of the associate's time is spent in the lab. However, at more senior research levels, the associate may oversee labs across multiple locations, so some travel may be required. Also, a substantial portion of the research associate's lab work is done in conjunction with other teams, so there is a lot of collaboration with other research associates working on other projects. Additionally, research associates in biotechnology generally work during regular business hours, although overtime and off-hours work may be required depending on the needs of the lab.

The job requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree in biology, biotechnology, or a related field; more advanced positions, such as senior research associates, require master's or doctoral degrees. The senior roles may also be supervisory in nature. The research associate must understand basic lab techniques and protocols. Also, many research associates are required to analyze the data they obtain through the experiments, so knowledge of statistical techniques such as inference testing and data analysis are critical.

Common Career Paths for Research Associate, Biotechnology

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Biotechnology Research Associates may progress into high-paying roles like Pharmaceutical Project Manager, where median compensation is $82K annually. Biotechnology Research Associates typically move into roles as Biotechnology Research Scientists or Senior Research Associates, and those positions pay $21K more and $18K more, respectively.

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Popular Employer Salaries for Research Associate, Biotechnology

Genentech, Inc. leads the field in terms of pay, with a median salary of $93K.

Popular Skills for Research Associate, Biotechnology

This chart shows the most popular skills for this job and what effect each skill has on pay.

Biotechnology Research Associates seem to require a rather large skill set. Most notably, skills in Microbiology, Stem Cell, Immunology, and Flow Cytometry are correlated to pay that is above average, with boosts in pay of 11 percent. At the other end of the pay range are skills like cell culture. Most people who know Biotechnology also know PCR Analysis.

Pay by Experience Level for Research Associate, Biotechnology

Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.

Experience does not seem to be a strong driver of pay increase in this role. Survey participants with less than five years' experience pocket $50K on average, but those with five to 10 years of experience enjoy a much bigger median of $59K. For Biotechnology Research Associates, 10 to 20 years of experience on the job amounts to an average salary of $67K. Biotechnology Research Associates with more than 20 years of experience report incomes that are only modestly higher; the median for these old hands hovers around $72K.

Surpassing the national average by 33 percent, Biotechnology Research Associates in South San Francisco receive some of the highest pay in the country. Biotechnology Research Associates will also find cushy salaries in San Francisco (+24 percent), Cambridge (+8 percent), San Jose (+7 percent), and Mountain View (+6 percent). The lowest-paying market is Cleveland, which sits 28 percent below the national average, proving that location is a significant contributor to overall pay. Workers in Houston and Seattle earn salaries that trail the national average for those in this profession (12 percent less and 11 percent less, respectively).

Research Associate, Biotechnology Reviews

What is it like working as a Research Associate, Biotechnology?

Research Associate, Biotechnology in San Diego:

"Interesting. Applying skills learned, and learning new ones."

Pros: There are many things to learn. In terms of new knowledge and skill sets. It is interesting work.